Slayers Wish
by Lordess
Summary: I finally got to the second chapter of the Slayers' next adventure. A little tension, a little twist, and the re-entrance of the famous general preist with his infamous smirk ^.^
1. Default Chapter

Authors Notes: hehehehe... I was going to wait to put this story up... but I'm bored now and I feel like putting it up... hope you peeps like mi Slayers Fanfic! :) read and review! Oh, this is but the first chapter of many, so be easy, plot does develope... :) slowly... as always... anyway...  
Small minor note... the dreaded 's' word is used once in this chapter... if you find this offensive, gomen nasai... if you don't find this offensive... um... ^__^ read on!!!  
Disclaimer: I don't own Slayers or any of the Slayers characters (drat... me want Zel-kun...)  
  
She stood silently, the wind sweeping through her deep violet hair, her eyes, closed in concentration. Her white cloak, which covered her entire body, wavered slightly, it's gold and purple trimmings shinning in the dawn's light. Her golden boots stood right at the edge of a high cliff... and she remained silent...  
After taking a deep breath, the girl opened her eyes and looked deep into the sunrise before her, her profound remorse escaping through the gateway to her soul. "It's going to happen again..." she said in a broken whisper. "He'll be getting involved because of me... He's going to be in danger again... because of me..."  
Thoughts raced through her mind of what she would be doing, wondering if it was right. She had a rage inside her that had been building up for longer than she knew... a secret hatred that she wanted to unleash and only now did she have the chance...  
But she doubted herself...  
Perhaps not herself... but the reasons why... Why had she wanted such sweet revenge upon the man? Why even bother with him? He didn't give a second thought about her... So why did she want to kill him? To make sure he DID give a damn about her?  
An image passed through her mind and a sigh escaped her lips. She knew the only way to answer the questions that lay deep in her mind was to find him... he would help her to satisfy her urge for killing... Yet... she didn't want to hurt him...   
"Zelgaddis Greywards..." she whispered, her words being whipped away by the wind. She took a deep breath and swallowed her worries, her violet eyes growing stern. "Forgive me for bringing you into my world again... But this is something I have to do..."  
With that the girl, pulled up her hood and wrapped the cloak tightly around her body and walked away from the cliff.  
  
Episode 1: Another Beginning! One Of Those Days!   
  
It was a peaceful day in town, the town folk scurried back and forth, doing their usual duties; the baker selling his goods, the tailor hard at work creating his latest masterpiece, the mother's ushering their children to be more careful when playing. In the eastern sky, the sun rose high above them, illuminating the town in a bright glow.  
Birds flew in the sky, enjoying the start of the day, filling the air with sweet morning tunes. A pair of brown boots, foreign to this town, trampled casually across the sand covered ground with even stride. The edges of the man's sand colored pants showed their age and were slightly tattered, as did the edges of his long sleeved shirt of the same dusty color.  
His hand, half covered by fingerless sand colored glove, held the hilt of his sword lightly as it swung from it's place attached to his black belt that hung off his hips. His cape that fell to his feet, trailed behind, wavering in the soft breeze. Holding up the sand colored cape was a sand colored shawl that went only half way down of his upper arm.   
A dusty colored hood hung over his head, and a mask hide his face. The blood red gem that held his cloak on, shimmered brightly in the morning's light. Pieces of silvery lavender hair fell into his face. And his skin... If one looked close enough... they could see that his skin wasn't the color of normal human flesh... It had a light blue shade and covered in darker pieces of rock scattered over his skin. The skin had been... a gift from his great grandfather... though the man thought of it as a curse... He was a chimera...  
The young man stopped and looked over the small town as he entered the main road, shops on either side. Children played innocently in the streets while the parents bought their groceries. Young women chattered and looked through the window at the clothes the town tailor was selling. As for the young boys, they were watching the young girls and making comments about each one.   
The cloaked man frowned, giving a sigh and pulling out something from his pocket. He held the envelope, flap towards him and looked down at the golden seal. It was the seal of the royal family of Seryuun. He had run into the young, black haired princess a few weeks back while passing through. At the time she was in the middle of giving proper 'punishment' towards two thieves that had stolen some apples from the market place... 'Punishment' meaning that she was giving them a nice long lecture on 'the rewards of goodness'...  
She had smiled once she saw him and the usual greetings followed, the man making few statements to tell how he was, and her talking excitedly on how good it was to see him once again, inviting him to the castle, asking how long he planned to stay. This pleasant greeting had lasted no longer than an hour when the princess asked a favor of him...  
  
"Zelgaddis-san... You're going to be back out traveling again soon, right?" she asked as her bright smile faded into a dismal frown. The man nodded, his hood and mask were pulled off as the two talked in the garden of the palace, his brittle hair spiking out and his strange blue eyes watched the princess.  
"That's right Amelia..." he replied. "Why do you ask?"  
Amelia fidgeted some. "A matter of importance has come up but I can't leave the kingdom at my father's request..." she muttered.  
"What's wrong?"  
"I can't exactly tell you... it's supposed to be a secret so the people don't get concerned..." she said in a soft, worried tone, looking down at her feet. Zelgaddis crossed his arms and frowned.  
"Then why'd you bring it up if you can't tell me?"  
"I need you to find Lina-san..."  
A moment of silence and Zelgaddis' eyes grew wide.   
"I finally get rid of her and you want me to find her again?!" he asked, half sarcastic yet a bit annoyed. Amelia looked up at him and gave a small smile.  
"Trust me on this one Zelgaddis-san," she said. "I have a letter for her to summon her and Gourry-san here so we may talk in person. Once you bring her back here I will tell all of you at once what I can't tell you now..."  
Zelgaddis frowned and gazed up at the blue sky and watched the clouds pass by over head as he thought.  
"So will you do this for me Zelgaddis-san?" the princess asked, her smile faltering as she watched him for any signal that he would do it.  
The man lowered his gaze and nodded. "I'll do it..."   
  
A ball suddenly bounced off the cloaked man and fell into his hands. The texture felt odd in his stone like hands and he looked up to see two children run up to him hesitantly. The man gave the two a warm smile and tossed the ball gently to one. The two smiled back at him and ran off to play again, their laughter filling the air with a sweet song.  
But the sweet songs of laughter were suddenly interrupted...  
"GOURRY!! THAT'S MY PIECE OF BACON! EAT YOUR OWN!"  
"But Lina-san... I'm done with my breakfast and I'm still hungry..."  
"I DON'T CARE! I NEED MORE NUTRITION THAN YOU ANYWAY! I'VE STILL GOT A LOT OF GROWING TO DO!"  
The townsfolk looked up silently at the screaming, making a few whispers. Zelgaddis frowned, looking towards the tavern, where the scream had come from, then flipping the envelope over to see the words 'Lina Inverse' in neat cursive. With a sigh of exasperation, he began trudging slowly towards the inn.  
"I SAID NO GOURRY!" the red haired sorceress said as she held the piece of bacon away from him. The blonde haired swordsman frowned and reached for the bacon again.  
"But I'm starving Lina-san! You ate all the food we had on the road!" he protested. Zelgaddis watched them in exasperation from the inn's doorway, wondering if he'd be labeled as 'weird' if he joined them... They always did know how to get attention...  
Through his eyes they looked exactly as they did the last time he saw them. The sorceress, Lina Inverse still wore her magenta shirt with the yellow center and the white trimmings on the edges, and those nearly red pants with the yellow top. She still wore the black head band to keep her hair out of her eyes and still wore the gray boots and gloves that were lined with jewels. And on across her hips were the two black belts, one of which holding her dagger. She did not wear her black armor and cape this morning, though Zelgaddis presumed they were still in her room.  
The swordsman, Gourry Gabriev, still had his unbelievable long blond hair that fell into his eyes. His black armor must have been left in his room as well for now he wore a blue shirt with short black sleeves and his blue pants. On his feet were the same black boots that reached his knees and those same black, fingerless gloves that covered his hands.   
"Now is this your fifth meal this morning or your sixth...?"  
Both Lina and Gourry froze at the sound of the voice. Slowly, their heads arched towards the doorway where Zelgaddis stood. The swordsman forgot about the piece of bacon and smiled at the cloaked man. "Zelgaddis!" he cried happily, waving. The sorceress took this opportunity to shove the bacon in her mouth, then turned to Zelgaddis and waved high.  
"Zelgaddis-san! Long time no see!" she cried. "Come on over!" The chimera walked over and greeted the two.  
"How have you been, Zelgaddis?" she asked giddily, nearly as the princess had when she saw him. "It's been centuries!"  
"Actually only a year..."  
"Well a lot can happen in a year!" the sorceress protested, propping her head into her hand. "So what brings you into town? Still searching for a cure to your chimera-ism?"  
Zelgaddis pulled a letter from his cloak and tossed it onto the table before Lina before crossing his arms and taking a seat. "Actually... For now I'm acting as a messenger..." he answered.  
Lina blinked at the envelope and picked it up carefully. "Seryuun?" she asked, looking over the seal. "Must be from Amelia..."  
"What's it say?" Gourry asked, leaning over to see it. Lina frowned.  
"I haven't opened it yet!"  
"Amelia would have delivered it herself, but for the moment, she's prohibited from leaving the castle..." Zelgaddis explained. Lina frowned and turned back to the letter, opening it and glancing over it quickly.  
"Well...?" Gourry asked, leaning over again, Lina pushed him back with her hand while continued reading.   
"She wants us to come to the castle..." she muttered, reading over the letter again. "Sounds pretty important... have any idea why, Zelgaddis?"  
The chimera shook his head. "She wouldn't tell me..."  
"Well if she wouldn't tell you it's gotta be a really big secret..." Lina said, setting the letter down and leaning back in her chair. "Something only I would be able to handle..." The sorceress reached over and grabbed her drink, sipping it proudly.  
"Maybe they found someone to blame for all those recent food shortages..." the chimera mused with a smirk. The sorceress chocked on her drink as her eyes snapped open at Zelgaddis' comment. She slammed the drink down and gave him a long cold glare.  
"You had better be kidding about that..."   
"So Lina!" the swordsman said, smiling, not understanding the true meaning behind Zelgaddis' joke. "When do we leave for Seryuun?"  
Lina relaxed once more, a smile spreading across her face. "We can leave first thing tomorrow..." she replied. Zelgaddis raised an eyebrow.  
"What's wrong with today? It's barely after dawn..." he muttered. Lina gave a smile.  
"I've got some business to take care of!" she said. "I've heard some many legends about the weapon's shop they have in this town! And Gourry's been needing a new sword!"  
"Still looking for another Hikari no Ken I see..." Zelgaddis muttered.  
"Not exactly a Hikari no Ken..." Lina replied with a smirk. "From what I've heard, I can get him swords more powerful than that..." Zelgaddis raised an eyebrow.  
"Yeah! Some weird old guy told us about a sword called the sword of sanity!" the swords man said brightly... well... smart sounding for him anyway...  
"Actually... it's called the Sword of Sanctifications..." Lina corrected. "I've heard that this is the only place that they sell it..."  
Zelgaddis nodded and got up from his seat. "Well you take care of that business... Just don't kill anyone..." he replied, turning away from the table and beginning to exit the tavern. Lina frowned as she watched him.  
"And what did that mean?!" she asked angrily. When receiving no reply, her anger faded. "Hey... where are you going?"   
The chimera turned back to Lina and Gourry. "I've got my own business to attend to..." he replied, before exiting and disappearing down one of the alleys.  
"Well... that was awfully rude..." the sorceress muttered.  
  
She watched silently as she saw the cloaked man ducked into an alleyway. The purple haired girl blinked, a bit surprised. "Now who might that be?" she thought out loud, watching where the man had disappeared with curiosity. "Stranger in town... I might have to say hello..." A smirk played on her lips.   
"Airia..."  
The girl's smirk vanished and her purple eyes darted to her side, looking up at the proud, silent man behind her, his dirty brown hair falling casually into his face, beard gently tickling his chest, his cold blue eyes watching the girl.   
"Yes papa?" she asked, almost silently.  
"Where were you?" His voice was stern, as it always was, sending chills of trepidation throughout the young girl's body.   
"I was at the cliff-side..." she replied in a soft tone.  
"Doing what?"  
"Watching the sunrise..."  
He gave a deep chuckle, a dark smirk showing under his brown mustache. "You and your sunrises..." he muttered. "Get to work... today's your last day on the job... I don't want you slacking off..."  
Airia gave a deep sigh, slightly exasperated. "Yes papa..." There was a hint of mockery in her tone, but not enough for him to detect as he turned and began to walk off towards his shop. She watched him as he left, and once inside the doors of his shop, she rolled her eyes.  
She gave one last look towards where she had seen the cloaked man disappear. "Well... Lucky you..." she whispered. "I guess my greetings will have to wait..."  
"So where are we going again?"  
"For the FIFTIETH TIME!!! THE WEAPONS SHOP!!!"  
Airia groaned as she heard the twosome's yells from within the inn, the same two that had been fighting earlier about... what was it? Oh yes... Bacon... "Weapons... shop?" she repeated, her eyes slowly inching towards the shop where her father had entered and gave another long groan as she read the sign that hung from the store window.  
'Krag's Weapons Shop'  
The third groan within a minutes time as she slowly began dragging herself towards her father's shop. "This is going to be a VERY long day..." she muttered.   
  
It was only minutes later that the swordsman and the sorceress entered the weapons shop greeted by a woman who stood behind the clerk's desk. She smiled a pleasant smile. "Good morning sir, good morning miss... How may I help you today?"  
Lina Inverse gave the girl a look over before speaking. It was always good too see just who you were bargaining with so you could get a better deal for rare and expensive items. Her conclusion... she had no idea who the girl was...  
She looked decent, Lina noted, not the kind of person you'd normally see selling weapons. Her exceptionally long purple hair was pulled back into a high pony-tail by a golden ribbon. Her purple eyes seemed to hold a thousand untold stories of tragedy, happiness, betrayal, and love, yet seemed to conceal all behind a layer of glass.  
She wore an outfit that reminded the young sorceress of an outfit she had seen a certain Mazoku wear... Though it had many differences... For example, it was an entirely white base. Her shirt was styled differently, having a high neck that was tied together by golden strands that decorated down the front. Her shawl that went midway down her upper arm, was a white color as well and decorated with a golden stripe and purple diamonds on the bottom.   
Her sleeves were long white as well, holding no special designs at the edges, and she wore no gloves, exposing her delicate fingers and almost perfect nails. Her white pants were mostly covered by a white skirt that nearly reached her ankles, having large slits on either side lined with purple trim and a belt to tie it off with golden ropes hanging down the center. To add to this outfit, was a long golden cloak, or cape if you use such terms, with purple linings, and finishing the outfit off was a pair of sleek golden boots.  
Shifting in the uncomfortable silence, the girl watched Lina carefully herself. "My name is Airia..." the girl said at last. "My father owns the store and I work for him..."  
Lina frowned, but went along with business anyway. Considering the girl looked no older than nineteen and appeared as if she had never been in the outside world, making a good deal might be easier than she first thought. Her frown transformed itself into a smirk. "I'm looking for a sword..." Lina answered simply.  
"What a shock..." Airia muttered under her breath, unheard by Lina. The girl forced her smile back into place. "We have swords of many varieties... Nearly one of every kind! I'm sure our selection will please you. What kind of sword were you looking for?"  
The sorceress was about to reply when the blonde haired swordsman intervened. "Got a Hikari no Ken?" he asked, having some hope in his eyes. Airia flinched slightly, giving a small sigh, though continuing to smile.  
"Nearly everything EXCEPT that..."  
"Drat..."  
"Gourry... Let me do the talking..." Lina muttered. Airia's gaze turned from the swordsman to Lina, then back to Gourry, then finally deciding that Lina would answer her questions better than the dimwitted one could.  
"Whose the sword for?" she asked.  
"Him..." Lina replied.  
"They why isn't he the one doing the talking?"  
Gourry, who had now lost interest in the conversation, turned his attention towards a rack of swords that rested against one of the walls. He reached for the first one and pulled it from the rack rather quickly... a bit TOO quickly... As the sheathed sword was jerked from it's holding place, the end of it knocked against the next sword, which toppled over, hitting the next one... and the next one... and the next... and the next... and the next... and so forth...  
"Forget I asked..." Airia said as she looked at the result of a sword's version of dominoes, extending from the back of the shop where Airia, Lina and the surprised Gourry stood, all the way back to the entrance... "Well..." the purple haired girl said, trying to look on the better side. "That's ONE way to clear a sword display..."  
"Gourry! You idiot!" Lina scolded. The blonde haired man shouted apologies as he scrambled to pick up all the swords and clean the mess. Lina shook her head and gave an exasperated sigh before turning back to Airia. "Anyway... As for the kind of sword I'm looking for..."  
Airia gave a small smirk, watching the dimwitted swordsman for a few moments before turning back to Lina. "What is this sword called?"  
"It's a sword that only legends speak of..."  
Airia was right... this WAS going to be a long day...   
"Does it have a name...?"  
"Course it does... It is rumored to be quite powerful I hear... and only you have it..."  
Why does every have to take the long way around? Why can't they just get to the point?  
"We have many rare and powerful swords... but for the third time... I need a NAME!"  
"Sword of Sanctifications..."  
"...Oh... That... Sword..."  
"Do you have it?"  
Airia took a deep breath, and letting loose a deep sigh. "Yup..." she replied simply. "Follow me..." The girl reached under the desk and pulled out a silver key that was hidden in the roof of the desk, making her way towards the back room door. "I really must warn you... it's not exactly a safe sword to be using..."  
Lina followed slowly. "So I've heard..." the sorceress replied, her red hair trailing slightly behind her as she stopped to wait for Airia to finish unlocking the door.   
"It isn't cheap either..."  
"I'm sure we can reach an agreement..."  
Gourry, whom at the moment was holding about fifty swords all at the same time as he attempted to fix the sword display, looked up as he saw Lina and Airia heading into another room. "Oi! Lina!" he cried, flinging the swords behind him before jogging over to them.  
-BAM!-  
-CRASH!-  
Airia winced slightly, not daring to look behind her to see what damage the guy had done this time. Lina, who had faced countless dangers, did have the courage and was standing, eyes practically popping out of her head, mouth dropped to the ground, looking over the destruction her companion had caused. "G-Gourry..." was all she managed to say, trying to suppress her anger.  
The young girl finally got up the courage to look over her shoulder and released all her stress with an exasperated sigh. "I can deal with the fact he knocked yet another entire wall display of swords... But you WILL be paying for that window..." she muttered, staring blankly at the sorceress and swordsman. She gave a glance at the shattered window and the mess of swords scatter across the floor and winced. "Papa's going to kill me..."  
The girl suppressed her fears of the long lecture she knew she'd be getting later that evening, and opened the back room door and stepped back, waiting for the two to enter. "Customers first..." she said, forcing a smile. "And don't touch anything..."  
Without another word, the swordsman and the sorceress entered the room, and stood there, gawking. The room was nearly twice as large as the previous room, swords and other weapons such as bow and arrows, hanging against the wall in glass cases, and lined up in rows in the center of the room, also covered in glass. Airia glanced at their shocked faces and smiled.  
"Some of the most powerful weapons of the world are kept under my father's roof..." she explained, taking a few steps forward, her footsteps echoing across the wooden room. Lina shook her astonishment away.  
"Have you ever tried any of them?" Lina asked as she and Gourry slowly started to follow her through the large room. Airia stopped suddenly and jerked her head around, almost angrily.  
"Are you nuts?!" she asked, slightly livid.  
Lina gave a nervous laugh. "I guess not... It would bring down the market price I guess..." she muttered through her fake smile. Airia smiled herself.  
"I didn't mean it *that* way..." she replied, turning back around and walking towards the end of the room. "I haven't tried *some* of them... I've tried *all* of them..."  
Lina stopped dead in her tracks, eyes wide in disbelief, Gourry almost falling on top of her trying to stop himself. "All of them!?" she asked, astonished. Airia turned back curiously, stopping her own treading to wait for Lina to finish. "But to use swords like these require great mental control! For some of them, great magical capability! How could try ALL of them?!"  
Airia gave a mysterious smirk, her eyes sparkling with mischievous play. She slowly began raising a single finger to her lips. "Sore wa... himitsu desu!"  
Had Airia known Lina's sensitivity towards those words, she would have thought twice about saying them... But being she had never met Lina, she said them without worry... for the first few seconds a least... Once she saw Lina start fuming silently, whispering words under her breath, her perkiness faded quickly.  
"Um... Is something wrong...?" the girl asked, voice quivering from nervousness. Lina did not reply, though she continued muttering under her breath as the fires of pure rage grew inside her. The swordsman knew these words well and began to grow edgy as Lina continued.  
*"Darkness beyond twilight... crimson beyond blood that flows..."*  
"Lina! That's the Dragu Slave!"  
"No kidding Gourry!"  
*"Buried in the stream of time..."*  
"Um... I wouldn't use magic in here..." Airia said, her eyes wide as she took a few steps back. Her gaze darted away from the temperamental sorceress, falling upon the swords, only to dart back quickly.  
"Now..." Lina started, feeling the energy gather at her fingertips. "Are you saying that to save your own hide?" Airia shook her head.  
"No... I'm completely serious... some of these swords can bounce off magic..." Airia said, still rather nervous. "And if you happen to hit some of those swords at the exact same time, you'll be running away from your own Dragu Slave..."  
Lina blinked, stopping her own chanting and letting the energy she collected to fade away. "Is that so..." she asked, raising an eyebrow skeptically. The purple haired girl gave a deep sigh of relief before nodding in reply.  
"And to answer your question previous... I'm a trained sorceress..."   
Okay... so Airia was lying through her teeth... Sort of... Deep inside Airia knew that the chances of her ever meeting up with Lina and Gourry again were slim to nil. So telling only half truths suited her just fine...   
Lina frowned and nodded, only really half believing the girl in front of her. Airia smiled before turning back around and beginning back down the hallway of weapons. "Now... Sword of Sanctifications was it?" she asked.  
Lina nodded before her and Gourry began following once again. "So what kind of price range are we looking at...?" the red haired sorceress asked. Airia paused, looking at a case full of swords in front of her before arching her head back and smiling.  
"I'm sure we can reach an agreeable price... for *both* parties..." She emphasized the 'both' because she had a vague idea of what this Lina (as she was called) girl was like. She was the kind of traveling sorceress that thought she could get her way by sticking fear into those selling the items she wanted (good guess...). But to be honest, Airia did not feat this Lina at all, though she herself struggled with the Dragu Slave spell...  
Lina got the feeling that Airia was no push over from her words. So it wouldn't exactly be as easy as she thought... But still... Lina was Lina... and she would get a good price... Lina gave a side long glance at Gourry and practically jumped out of her skin as she saw him reaching out to grab one of the swords. She slapped his curious hand away harshly.  
"Ow Lina... what was that for?" Gourry asked, rubbing his hand slightly.   
"Don't touch anything..." she hissed. The swordsman lifted his hands up.  
"Okay! I'm sorry! I won't touch anything!"  
The creaking sound of something being opened paused the fight and both turned curiously to Airia, who now stood a few more feet down the isle, opening one of the cases. Interested, the two walked over slowly as the tall (well shorter than Gourry, but towered over Lina) girl pulled out a sheathed blade, studying it over, before turning back to the two customers.  
"The Sword of Sanctifications..." she said, walking a few steps closer and held it out to Gourry. "You are the one whom this is for right?"  
Gourry nodded slowly and took the sword carefully into his hand. Lina blinked. "But we haven't paid..." she muttered. "We haven't even discussed how much this is going to cost!"  
Airia turned to Lina and smiled as Gourry continued to study the sheathed sword. "You can't fit a sword to a person, but a person can fit a sword..." she said simply, course even that left both Lina and Gourry blinking in confusion. She tried again. "Father and I never sell swords unless the person whose buying the sword likes the feel of it..."  
Gourry smiled, understanding some of what she had said. "So I get to test try it?" he asked, almost giddily. Airia nodded.  
"For two hours..." the girl continued. "There's a forest next to the town, you can go and practice there if you like. Get a feel for it, see if it suits you. If not, come back and look at the other swords... then when you find one you like, we can talk about prices..."  
Lina blinked as Gourry beamed. "Aren't you afraid that someone will run off with one of your swords?" she asked. Airia shook her head.  
"We place tracking spells on all of them..."  
"What if they tried to dispel the tracking spell?"  
An evil smile spread across Airia's face as she leaned down to get eye to eye with the red haired sorceress. "Do you want to know what happened to the *last* person who tried that?" she asked, her eyes showing the slightest glint of madness.  
Lina gulped and laughed nervously. "Uh... no thanks..." she stuttered out. Airia did not move, continuing to stare down Lina.  
"Were you... *implying* something by asking those questions?"  
"N-no! Of course not!"  
All the evil and madness faded in an instant and was replaced by an unmistakable smile. "Good!" she said blissfully. "Now you got two hours! I'll be waiting here!"   
Lina gave a huge sigh, mixed with relief and exasperation. This girl reminded her faintly of someone... but who she couldn't put her finger on... Not wanting to question the thought any more, she and Gourry left the shop, leaving Airia alone once again.   
The taller sorceress watched the two leave, laughing slightly as she heard Lina yell at Gourry for saying something stupid the moment they walked outside. Her smile faded slowly into wonder as she turned back to the sword case she had left open.  
Curiously, she walked over, looking into it once more, her eyes falling upon one sword in particular... The only one of the swords that suited her, and probably only her... It fit her needs, and made her job easier than ever... It was called...  
"The Blade of Diablos..."  
Airia jumped as the man behind her spoke. She then smiled once more and turned around to greet the man cheerfully. "Hello papa..." she said, as the man behind her smiled back. He lifted one of his strong hands and gave Airia a pat on the head.  
"You're doing well in your business skills," he commended, his blue eyes twinkling as he lowered his hand back to his side. "I have high expectations for you..."  
"You don't want me to leave, yet... do you?" she asked, her smile melting into curiosity. The man's own smile faltered, watching her through his eyes, restless blue like the sea.   
"No father wants to give up their daughter to the world... But it's the only way for you to find out your place in life..."  
"I will make you proud papa..."  
The man smiled, closing his eyes before beginning to walk towards the exit of the room. "I have no doubt of that..." he mused aloud. He paused before leaving, turning his head to the girl slightly. "By the way... how *did* the interview with our client go?"  
"Well enough..."  
"Isn't it in our client's plan for you to go find... oh what was his name?"  
"Zelgaddis Greywards... I am to find Zelgaddis..."  
"Right right... Do enjoy yourself... I'm sure this will prove quite interesting..." he said, moving some of his brown hair out of his face. "By the way... The Vendir Boys are back in town... you mind taking care of them?"  
"Well that depends... Can I use the Diablos Blade?" A smirk spread across her lips, knowing she would get what she wanted.  
"It is really your choice now... It now officially belongs to you after all..."   
Airia's smile grew wider as she pulled the sheathed sword from the case and began sprinting towards the back window where her father had snuck in from. Securing the sword to her belt, she grabbed the upper part of the window and began to hoist herself out. She paused suddenly, remembering one tiny detail...  
"AIRIA! WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SWORD DISPLAYS! ARGH! MY WINDOW!"  
A nervous laugh escaped her lips as she slipped out of the open window and into the outside. "I'll have to explain that later..." she mused with an uneasy look on her face. She put aside her fears of the later scolding and began running down the streets and alleyways of the town rather quickly.   
  
A blade sliced quickly through a tree, hacking the thing directly in half, the upper falling helplessly to the side. Gourry smiled, bringing the sword back to eye level, studying it's surface for probably the thousandth time. It appeared like a plain sword, the blade looking of regular steel, the hilt being made of darker metal wrapped in black leather, decorated in an powerful looking style.   
But it was more than an ordinary sword... Not only was it rather light in weight, but it sliced through the air with unmistakable speed... And it didn't stop there... Trees appeared like air to him as he swung this sword... It was defiantly quite powerful...  
His fingers traced both hilt and blade alike, memorizing it's every curve, every crack, every change in design. What caught his attention most was they pentagram on the bottom of the hilt. He paused curiously and turned back to Lina, who sat under a tree, munching on some snacks she had brought and looking on the verge of sleep.  
The tall man took a few steps over to her. "Lina?" he asked. The girl opened her cute red eyes and blinked inquiringly at the symbol on the sword that Gourry was pointing to. "Isn't that the same symbol that Amelia has on her blue gems?"  
"Good observation Gourry, it is," Lina answered, smiling. "It basically means it is something of holy essence..."  
"So this is a holy sword?"  
"Yup..."  
"But I don't see any holes..."  
Lina tried to refrain from screaming at him for his stupidity, but settled from a hard slam against the top of his head. "Not that kind of holy... It means it's blessed with the powers of Cepheed..." she grumbled through her teeth, straining to keep calm. Gourry groaned, now on the forest floor rubbing his head.  
As he got up, he knew changing subject would be a good idea. "So where's Zelgaddis?" he asked quizzically. "I haven't seen him in a while..."  
Lina's anger faded slightly. "Who knows... But with him? Probably about waist deep in trouble..."  
  
Lina wasn't wrong either... Maybe over exaggerated just a bit... but not wrong... Zelgaddis stood, hood and mask no longer covering his face, his cold eyes darting at the figures that surrounded him. Ten of them, all holding swords preparing to slice his throat if he gave them trouble.  
"Monster..." one of the spat. The chimera twitched, but gave no inkling of moving. "What do you think your doing here? This is our territory!"  
Zelgaddis remained quite calm. He was used to this treatment... It only happened in every other town he visited... so this wasn't new... "I'm just passing through..." the chimera answered, looking sternly at the man who appeared to be the leader of these ruffians.  
"Yeah right..." one of the others snickered. "Your probably just saying that so you can come and slit our throats when we're not expecting it!"  
"Well... *That* would be an* easier* punishment then the one **I had in store for you..."  
All ten bandits froze in recognition of the voice... It was a voice that had haunted their dreams turning them into horrid nightmares. The voice that had sent them running away screaming the last time they dared to challenge her.  
Zelgaddis frowned curiously and looked up to the side wall of the alley to see a girl, close to his own height, with long purple strands of hair falling down from a ponytail, her deep purple eyes watching the bandits carefully. Wearing white robes with gold and purple decorations, she seemed perfectly at ease, holding the hilt of a sword tied to her golden belt.  
Now where had he seen her before?  
The girl's smile grew wider, seeing, and *feeling* the fear that emanated from the bandits. "Nice to see you again Vendir boys..." she said with a smooth, serene voice.  
"Oh shit!" one of the younger bandits cried. "It's Airia the Terrible!"  
Airia face faulted, a sweat drop slinking down her head. "I'm not *that* bad! ...Am I?" she asked. The leader of the thieves turned to point his sword towards the girl who still sat calmly upon the high wall.  
"You will pay for what you did to us last time!" he cried, then eyed her tapping her fingers against the hilt of her sword. He felt his confidence slowly leave his body. "Um... What's that...?" His voice was now quivering. "You didn't have a sword last time..."  
Airia smiled then looked down at her sword carefully. "Oh this thing? My papa gave it to me!" she said brightly, tossing some loose strands over her shoulder before rising to her feet. "But really Vendir boys... Discrimination is not something I allow... you know that..."  
Zelgaddis blinked, the girl getting one of those starry eyed looks that he had seen Amelia get every time she was about to do a justice speech... which meant...  
"Branding things evil just by their race and appearance is unjust and unfair! I will not let you escape unpunished for such an unjustly deed!" she cried, balling her hands into fists and giving a look of pure determination.  
The thieves were no longer filled with fear, more like exasperation as sweat drops slinked down their own heads. One of the skinnier ones (actually pretty much all of them were shrimps...) stepped forward curiously. "Since when do you give justice speeches?" he asked.  
Airia's determination left and she gave a long, tired sigh, rubbing her head as if she had a headache. "Since I drank one to many cups of papa's special tea..." she said, frowning with thought. "That stuff does wonders for depression..."  
"I take it's worse when the person who drinks it is already 'Happy-Go-Lucky'..." one muttered. Airia smiled brightly.  
"How'd you guess?"   
With that the girl jumped from the wall and landed neatly on the ground, taking a strong grip on the golden hilt with her right hand. Her eyes narrowed, pleased with the thought of fighting as each of the ten prepared to do battle against the 'terrible' Airia.  
"We'll deal with you later..." the leader said, eyeing Zelgaddis, who still stood with no interest in leaving just yet.   
"Now now Denifar..." the girl said, addressing the leader. "Don't make promises you know you can't keep... You'll be dead before *this* battle is over..." With that, the girl drew her sword, the deep purple gems that lined the base of the sword sparkled in the early sunlight. And the blade... black steal... surged with power of it's own wickedness.  
"Which is why we've got a plan of our own!" the leader said proudly. "Boys! It's time for plan 'R'!" All of them nodded   
"What's plan 'R'?" Airia asked, smirking with complete confidence as she watched the leader carefully, looking for a possible weakness. The leader took a deep breath.  
"RUN!"  
And that they did! The group of ten dropped their swords, screaming with pure fear out of the alley and through the town, trying to get as far away as possible. Airia and Zelgaddis were left blinking in confusion.  
A smile crept onto Airia's face and no more than a moment after the screams disappeared, she burst out in loud laughter. The chimera returned his gaze to the laughing girl who was practically going into tears.  
"They get funnier every YEAR!" she cried, trying her best to stop laughing long enough to put her sword back in it's holder.   
"Every year?" Zelgaddis asked, inquisitively. Airia smiled, looking up at him, still trying to hold back the upsurge of laughs.  
"Yeah! Their the town goofballs if you want to call them that! They couldn't steal candy from a baby, they're that bad!"   
"So what was with the threats?"  
"For a laugh! I wasn't actually going to kill them..." she said, finally being able to suppress her laughter enough to get the sword back to it's place. She turned away from the chimera still smiling and began to make her exit. "I only kill when I have to..."  
Familiarity of those words filled his head... Where had he heard that? And suddenly, it snapped, sending waves of anger rolling through him.  
"That's the motto of most assassins..."  
He didn't regret saying that. What he regretted was saying it loud enough so she would hear. The girl froze in her tracks, her eyes wide, smile now faded. She could hear her own heart beat as it's beating increased greatly.  
Zelgaddis remembered her now... and wished he didn't. "Airia Metain..." he hissed. Slowly, Airia turned around, her own anger rising in her body at the fact that someone had recognized her, whom she didn't know.  
Or did she?  
Her eyes snapped to their widest stage as she looked into the man's eyes. It couldn't be him! He wasn't supposed to be here! Not now! With what was left of her rapidly decreasing courage, she managed to stutter out his name. "Zelgaddis Greywards..."  
"Glad to see you remember me..." the chimera growled. Airia was in complete disbelief that the man that she was going to search for had found her first. But more importantly...  
"What happened...?" she asked, some of her disbelief changing to worry and curiosity. "Your... skin..."  
"That's not of your concern..." Zelgaddis snapped bitterly. "What are you doing here?!"  
"I should ask you the same question..."  
The two began a long stare down, neither giving any sign of backing down.  
"ZELGADDIS!"   
The chimera flinched, turning away from Airia to see Gourry skid into the alley, followed by an exhausted Lina. "We saw some bandits running away and wondered if you were alright!" the swordsman said, using the words that the worn out Lina would have said. Before replying, the chimera turned back to Airia...  
Or rather... where Airia *had* been... The alley way was now empty but for him, Gourry, and Lina. He scowled before turning back to Gourry, closing his eyes, refusing to look anyone in the face. "I'm fine..."  
Lina frowned, completely recovered as the chimera brushed past them, lifting his hood and mask to cover his face once more. Gourry blinked curiously.   
"Why do I have the feeling this is going to be one of *those* days?" Lina asked. Gourry, now even more confused, turned down to Lina, holding a finger to his lips in a curious fashion.  
"One of what kind of days?"  
"*Those* kind of days..."  
"....?"  
"The kind of days when you feel it's the start of some long, over adventurous, near death experience..."  
"Maybe because it is..."  
"...Don't say stuff like that Gourry..."  



	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Isn't it amazing?! I haven't updated this story in FOREVER!!! ^__^ Even though this story doesn't get reviews, I'm going to continue writing it. Just like all my other ignored stories!! Here's the second chapter in this new adventure! I hope you enjoy this story, even if it's a bit strange in parts.  
  
Please review and enjoy!  
  
~Lordess  
  
Airia heaved a deep sigh. She pulled the saddle upon the black stallion and fitted it comfortably on the horse's back. The long muzzle stretched itself around and pushed gently against Airia's shoulder as she buckled the leather saddle tightly around his belly. The purple haired sorceress gave a small laugh and pushed the horse's head aside playfully. In return, the stallion nipped at her sleeve.  
  
It was early the next morning. The sun had barely stretched itself over the tall mountains in the east, filling the town with a pleasant glow. The trees swayed with a soft breeze that swept through the air at a slow, yet refreshing pace. Just another beautiful, and utterly boring morning in the town.  
  
Airia was relieved that she'd be leaving it at last.  
  
For most of her life, she had lived here, training under many skills from her 'papa'. Each and every day was the same, quiet and peaceful. Her father had often gone out with his own duties, but she was forced to stay home. And now she was finally allowed to go on her own. She smiled at the thought.  
  
The stallion nipped at the edge of her sleeve, tugging it lightly to bring the sorceress back to the real world. She let another long sigh escape her lips, smiling and petting the horse's black head. "Well," she said jovially. "I guess it's time to go..."  
  
Airia placed one foot in the stirrup, taking the front and back of the saddle into her hands. She paused as a noise filled her ears. Frowning curiously, she pulled her foot back out and walked towards the stable's pen. Squinting her eyes, she gazed into the forests beyond the grassy area to get a good look at whatever was causing the commotion.  
  
She nearly toppled over at what she saw.  
  
"V-... Ve-.... Vendir Boys..." she breathed, not believing what she was seeing. The Vendir Boys has obviously come back for more and weren't alone either. Marching in a slouched stance next to the whooping and cheering skinnies was an ogre.   
  
Airia had only three fears in her life. These three things were the only three that made her cower in terror. These three things alone made her shiver and curl up under the covers of her bed; Mazoku, Ryuzoku... and ogres.  
  
She gave a short yelp and scrambled away from the gate and towards her waiting stallion. She took a hold of the saddle again, nearly knocking off her secured possessions in the process. With her heart beating at a pace immeasurable, she scrambled to put her foot in the stirrup, cussing under her breath the entire time.  
  
She glanced up several times, nervousness rising as the ogre and Vendir Boys grew closer. With an aggravated sigh, Airia pushed herself up to get into the saddle. The horse, however, wasn't prepared for this. Nor was it prepared for the gunshot coming from the Vendir Boys that whizzed on the railing next to the horse. In result, the black stallion reared and bolted forward. Airia's grip failed while the horse was on it's hind legs and she was dropped rather painfully to the ground.  
  
"Kuuuusooo!!!" she screamed, picking herself off the ground and running after the horse. "GET BACK HERE!!!"   
  
The horse didn't heed, however got slowed down anyway in a narrow passage of gates allowing Airia to catch up. The sorceress, seeing the passage was too narrow for her to get on the horse, jump onto the railing and jogged with the horse far enough till she could jump onto it's back.  
  
Bad luck just seemed to follow her as another gunshot was fired, scaring the horse again and it jolted forth again. The sorceress' foot hit the saddle, but slid and Airia landed harshly in the saddle on her stomach. She grumbled and held on for dear life as the horse raced across the streets of the town. "Iiiitaaaaaiii..."  
  
The sorceress blinked as she whizzed past her father. He watched her speed off, tilting his head to one side at her odd position on the stallion. Giving a nervous laugh, she waved to him shyly and thanked L-sama that he was there to stop the Vendir Boys and their ogre while she made her get-away.  
  
That left one problem...  
  
Stopping the horse.  
  
Episode 2: Seryuun! News of the Assassin!  
  
Lina wasn't very happy.   
  
First, breakfast was missed. Breakfast at the inn wouldn't be served for a few hours. All stores and restaurants were closed as well for the morning. True the bakery was open, but would Zelgaddis let them stop to eat? Nooooo...  
  
Second, the trio had awaked, by Zelgaddis' request, before dawn. Seryuun was a good, yet long, day away and should they get an early start, they would reach the gates before they closed and wouldn't have to spend the night on the cold ground. This Lina sympathized with. She would be more than happy to spend a night in the palace over the rough terrain between this town and there. But that cut into a few activities she cherished dearly... like sleeping... and eating...  
  
Third, breakfast was missed, and Lina was hungry...  
  
Fourth, Zelgaddis had gone into a complete mood of depression and thought. He barely said a word for conversation. And when she spoke to him, all he replied with was a mere 'sure', 'hmmm', or 'not a chance'. The morning had progressed without a full sentence formed by his mouth. It was rather irritating considering her only other choice in conversation was with a man who valued food over knowledge and, in result, had the brains of a jellyfish.  
  
Fifth, breakfast was missed, and Lina got cranky when no food came...  
  
Sixth, Gourry hadn't been able to sleep and was little more than a walking snore-machine that had to be awakened every five seconds, or else left to trip or get whacked by a low branch.  
  
Seventh, breakfast was missed and Lina wanted food...  
  
Eighth, no bandits hoards to raid and Lina was low on money.  
  
Ninth, Lina was going to kill someone if she didn't get her usual nine course breakfast...  
  
So no one that morning was very happy as they trudged along the beaten and worn path to Seryuun. Lina had taken the lead, slouching as she walked at a miserable pace forward. Gourry paced behind her, his new sword resting on his shoulder, occasionally falling a bit as his wrist went weak as he drifted to sleep. Zelgaddis took the rear, one hand crossed over his chest, the other hand resting on his chin as he thought of the events that took place the previous days.  
  
And the trio trudged on, with the only noises being snoring, one word answers, and complaints (the latter of course, coming from Lina).   
  
"We should have stopped for breakfast..."  
  
"Drop it, Lina. We have to get to Seryuun by early evening. Then you can have all the food you want."  
  
'Wow...' the red haired sorceress' mind marveled. 'A full sentence. Two even.'  
  
Faintly, the young girl noticed a soft rapid beat from behind them. She stopped, listening to the noise closely, trying to pick it out. Gourry nearly fell over her, too sleepy to pull himself to a sudden stop. "Do you hear that?" Lina asked curiously. Zelgaddis paused his own pace to listen to the sound he barely noticed in his deep thought.  
  
"It sounds like..." he started, letting his superior hearing identify the noise for him. "Hoofbeats... a horse."  
  
Airia yelped as her body was slammed against the saddle yet again as the horse landed from jumping the town's fence. She was still rather stuck riding the stallion on her stomach. Her hands gripped the sides tightly, her eyes watching the saddle and the horse's stride. Desperately she tried to find a pattern to the jingling of the stirrup her foot failed to hook.  
  
Giving up on that idea, she tried to find rhythm enough to push herself up. She pushed herself up, throwing out her legs to throw them over. However, one of her boots smacked into something hard, throwing off much of her balance, leaving her dangling from the side of the horse.  
  
She looked back curiously, ignoring the tingling pain in her foot that had been swung to the opposite side of the horse. "Kuuuusooo..." she whispered as she saw the red haired sorceress knocked on the ground with the familiar blonde one and chimera. She watched nervously as the sorceress stood up, enraged and prepping some sort of spell.  
  
"Faia-BAAAAALL!"  
  
The infamous fire spell sped toward the purple haired sorceress. Airia gave a short shriek and rushed to get into the saddle, able to pull herself out harms way, but still dangling. She glanced back once more to see another fireball speeding forward. Using her current position, she grabbed the reigns and pulled the horse sideways. The fire spell nicked the stallion's hindquarters and it reared once again.  
  
"IIIIIITAAAAAI!!!!"  
  
Lucky for Airia, there was a nice rock jutting out of the road to cushion her fall. The sorceress groaned as she lay in the dirt, face buried into the ground and a painful throbbing in her side began. She felt a nibble at her hair and looked up exasperated to see the horse's face hovering above hers. "...You...like to see me in pain... don't you...?"  
  
The horse gave a soft whiney, moving his head up and down some. Airia grumbled and pushed it's muzzle away from her as she let her face fall back to the ground. The purple haired sorceress forgot the reason why the horse had reared and she had fallen however... She was reminded as a strong hand grabbed the back of her cloak and half pulled, half pushed her to her feet.  
  
A nervous laugh escaped her lips as she looked down at the red haired sorceress. "Konninchiwa... O'genki desuka...?" she said nervously. The shorter grabbed the taller by the collar and yanked her down to eye level.  
  
Airia added another thing to her 'fear' list.  
  
'Well,' the purple haired sorceress decided mentally. 'Time to get out of another mess.' "Gee, that's a *nasty* looking red mark on your cheek! If you want I can-"  
  
"I'm gonna kill you..." Lina's voice was flat, dangerous, and deadly.  
  
"Gomen nasai! It was an accident! I swear! You see I was-"  
  
"Do you know who I am..?"  
  
"...Lina...?"  
  
"Inverse..."  
  
Lina Inverse... Lina Inverse... Airia had heard that name before. Ever so slowly, the long since rusted wheels in the elder's mind began to turn. "Ooooh... Lina Inverse!" she said, smiling brightly. "I remember where I've heard your name before! You're Luna's-"  
  
"WHAT?! LUNA?! WHERE?!"  
  
Airia nearly fell over as she was released from death's grip and the young red haired sorceress vanished before her. The elder sorceress blinked, following the trail of dust that led to where Lina had run to. "Oooh... That's riiiight. Lina's afraid of Luna," she muttered under her breath. She watched as Gourry jogged over towards where the red haired one had disappeared to.  
  
"Oi! Lina! Where'd you go?"  
  
"GO AWAY GOURRY! YOU'LL GIVE AWAY MY HIDING SPOT!"  
  
Airia let a mischievous smirk cross her lips as she yelled to Lina. "To who?" she called. "LUNA?"  
  
"AAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!"  
  
Airia laughed. "Oh I could learn to enjoy that..." she said under her breath as she turned to go find her horse. She was stopped by the figure that had been standing behind her. A nervous smile crossed her face. "Konninchiwa Zelgaddis-san... O'genki desuka?"  
  
The chimera ignored the question asked, counting with one of his own. "What are you doing here?" he inquired, his voice flat with deeply rooted rage. His blue eyes narrowed as they locked onto her purple ones.  
  
Airia frowned, crossing her arms defiantly. "I have as much right to be here as you do..." she muttered through her teeth. She tried to move around him but was caught by his hand grasping her arm in a painfully tight hold. She barely even flinched as she turned to him, returning his glare. "An assignment for my Papa's work..." she said, answering his question. She ripped her arm away from his grasp and moved to the waiting stallion who stood, flicking it's ears back and forth curiously.  
  
Zelgaddis' scowl deepened. "Who are you looking for...?"  
  
"None of your business..."  
  
"Who are you looking for...?!" The question deepened with anger. Airia placed one foot in the stirrup before swinging herself over and sitting herself comfortably in the saddle. She looked at the chimera with an expressionless face, her eyes watching him calmly.  
  
"I can guarantee that it isn't one of your two friends over there," she replied, motioning her head towards the still shouting Lina and the confused Gourry. "But other than that, I can say nothing." The purple haired sorceress nudged the black horse softly and it trotted forward at an easy pace, past the angry chimera.  
  
Zelgaddis gave a deep growl that echoed in the back of his throat. Airia was dangerous, he knew. Whomever she was looking for lie on a path of danger now. He swore to find out who that person was and make sure Airia could not get to them. He'd kill her if he had to...  
  
Stiffly he began walking after her and towards the sorceress and swordsman.  
  
"Why Lina Inverse!" the purple haired one mocked, smiling up at Lina as her horse slowed to a stop near the tree she hid in. "The stories I hear about your infamous deeds must be exaggerated. No one like that would hide in a tree."  
  
The red haired sorceress scowled at Airia. "URASAI!"  
  
"You can come down now, she's no where around..."  
  
"Then where is she?!"  
  
"...I presume at her job..."  
  
Slowly and awkwardly, Lina lowered herself from the tree. Gourry blinked his confusion at the entire situation, not understanding why his companion had gotten so afraid. In the same manner that she descended form the tree, the sorceress moved over to Airia. The elder sorceress still sat smiling in silent mockery.  
  
"I'm going to kill you..." the red head said flatly. A twinge of fear passed through Airia, but the smile never faded.  
  
"Not if I can get to Luna first..." she whispered.  
  
A shiver shot through Lina and she walked with ridged movements down the beaten path. Gourry followed, Zelgaddis staying a ways away from Airia as he also followed. Airia kicked her horse gently again and started at an easy walk.   
  
"So where are you headed, Airia was it...?" Lina asked, figuring it best to start some conversation to forget the previous topic.  
  
"Airia Metian," she said, proudly. She felt a tingle in her stomach and searched for some food in her pack. "And for now I'm headed to Seryuun." She pulled out a nice sized biscuit and smiled at it in anticipation.  
  
She didn't know how Lina got it from her, but the next thing she knew she was biting on her fingers instead of the piece of bread. "Great!" Lina said jovially, happy that she had some food to munch on. She devoured it in one bite, licking her fingertips. "That means you can travel with us!" Airia blinked, pulling her fingers from her mouth and blinking at them more as her horse walked forward.  
  
"That's... wonderful..."  
  
"So do you have any more biscuits?"  
  
By the look in Lina's eye, Airia knew that she'd be in even more trouble with the famous and infamous sorceress if given food was not provided. Defeated, she pulled a few more items of provisions for the red head to munch on and forget her anger.  
  
~*~  
  
"So Seryuun is your goal for today, but where's your final destination?"  
  
"I can't exactly tell you."  
  
"Alright, so what are you traveling for?"  
  
"Something related to my papa's work."  
  
"Can you be more specific?"  
  
"I'm afraid not."  
  
"How long will you be traveling for?"  
  
"I'm not exactly sure."  
  
"..."  
  
Through some extensive inquire, Lina had found that Airia was just about as hard to deal with as a certain Mazoku priest. The elder sorceress had been careful not to use the saying 'sore wa himitsu desu' (too afraid about that Dragu Slave) but had been evading questions in her own, 'I can't tell you' sort of way. So through the hours and hours of traveling and snacking and breaks, Lina had learned close to nothing about this Airia Metian.  
  
The sun had begun to vanish behind the extensive valley, setting the sky on fire with it's array of colors. Clouds floated through the sky, tinted with pinks and purples. The eastern sky had begun to darken with dark blues and shades of purple. Night was almost upon the traveling group.  
  
Zelgaddis had said nothing to Airia, sinking deeper into a gorge of thoughts both angered and worried. Gourry had added little note, making a dimwitted comment every now and then to try and understand the conversation. So in essence, it was a very dull day, and that meant Lina wasn't enjoying herself. That and Airia's provisions had run out by early afternoon and the young sorceress' stomach had began growling soon afterward.  
  
It seemed the stressed and tense atmosphere would never leave until the gates of Seryuun were within their sites. Lina seemed the most ecstatic at this and gave a scream of pure delight, running forward at speeds quite out of the ordinary for a human. And while she ran forward, her shrill voice screamed something along the lines of "FOOOOODFOODFOODFOODFOOD!!!"  
  
Gourry and Zelgaddis were used to this behavior. Airia's horse, which was quite frazzled already, was not, and when Lina shot past, it stopped suddenly, causing the elder sorceress' body to lurch forward uncomfortably. And when the dimwitted swordsman bolted past as well, shouting something along the same lines, the stallion reared and Airia was sent flying to the ground for the third time that day.  
  
The purple haired female grumbled into the dirt, cursing her father for letting her take such an easily frightened horse. Her grumbling paused as she heard and felt Zelgaddis pass her, barely even acknowledging the girl as he stepped over her.   
  
"Thanks for helping me up..." the sorceress said sarcastically as she pushed herself from the ground. She rolled her eyes as he sent a glare back her way before continuing on his way to the city before them. This job of hers was not going to be easy.  
  
~*~  
  
"NAAAAANIIIII?!"   
  
The anger in Lina's voice was unmistakable. Zelgaddis, Gourry and Airia all winced simultaneously as they watched Lina grab the restaurant's owner by the collar. "What do you mean you can't serve us!?"  
  
The owner of the large restaurant began to ramble incoherently, stuttering and skipping many words in the process. The red haired sorceress' anger rose, pulling the tall man's collar down further till her face was inches above his. Fury flickered clearly in her eyes. "Try explaining that again," she said through gritted teeth. "This time make it understandable and short. Otherwise..." She raised her free hand to show the sparking fireball that twisted between her fingertips.  
  
The owner gave a gulp before daring to reply. "Amelia-hime said-"  
  
"AMELIA!" Lina shouted, her fists growing tight around the man's shirt, her eyes slinking away. "Of COURSE. SHE'S responsible for this."  
  
"Ano... Lina..." Gourry scratched his chin lightly, feeling somewhat sorry for the man in the sorceress' deadly grip. "Shouldn't you let him finish?"  
  
Lina's heated gaze fell upon the swordsman. He gave a gulp, forcing down the lump in his throat. Taking advantage of the moment of silence, the restaurant owner quickly finished his sentence. "Amelia-hime said to send you and your companions to the palace, for she would have a feast ready for you upon your arrival."  
  
"Hontoni?!"  
  
The owner blinked at Lina's sudden personality change. The fire in her eyes had quickly converted to happiness within a record breaking .02 seconds. He nodded. "Hai..." With that pleasant note, the owner was dropped onto the dusty ground and left to crawl away.  
  
"YOSH!" the sorceress shouted, spinning on her heels to face her companions once more. "You heard the man! ON TO THE PALACE! We can't let Amelia wait!"  
  
Zelgaddis gave a long sigh and Gourry blinked. Lina's smile seemed unbreakable as she turned to the third party member. "Airia, you of course can come along-" The sorceress trailed off as she noticed she was talking to an empty spot where the purple haired one had formerly stood. She blinked a few times, twisting her head around curiously until she found the other sorceress slinking off with her horse as quietly as she could.  
  
Now Airia had thought she was going to make it away from the group at last and be on her own. Her dreams and content feeling were shattered as she felt something jerk her cape backwards. She gagged and grabbed the clasp, barely able to prevent the cloak from choking her as she fell back. She winced as her back hit the ground, followed by her head. "ITIA!"   
  
She rubbed her head a moment before opening her eyes to be greeted by Lina's red ones. The smaller sorceress had her blissful appearance on as she looked down at the other. "Where do you think you're going, Airia! You're coming with us! How often is it that you get to meet royalty and dine at their table?"  
  
"Well actually," Airia began. "I'm really bad with fancy dinners and-GEH!" Her hand flew up to the clasp again as Lina began dragging her by her cape. Airia struggled to undo the clasp, but found it stuck and had to settle with squeezing the cape around her shoulders to prevent suffocation. She glared up at the other. "Lina, this is like taking me hostage!"  
  
"With the Palace of Seryuun as a prison, who could complain?"  
  
Airia raised her hand, but it went unseen by the other sorceress.   
  
The horse followed it's master obediently (still being held by the reins, but keeping an unforced pace). Gourry smiled at the prospect of both food and being reunited with a friend. Zelgaddis paused, frowned at Airia before following himself.  
  
As much as Airia pleaded, no one dared take on the small red-head sorceress to free the elder from death's grasp. She was able to at least get one woman's attention long enough to get her name out and a name in return. 'Legata' she had said, the blond haired woman smiling and waving to Airia as the poor girl was dragged off.  
  
It didn't take long to get to the palace. Once before the gates, Lina dropped the edge of Airia's cape and the purple haired girl tumbled backwards, smacking her head on the cobblestone road. She whimpered and rubbed the back of her head, muttering curses in a tongue no one could understand.   
  
A servant met them at the gates and quickly allowed them passage to the courtyard. The group moved at a quick enough pace forward, Airia trying to trail behind as much as possible. The chimera kept a constant watch on her, making sure to be ready incase she attempted something.  
  
"OI! AMELIA-CHAN!" Lina called, halting her progress as they were greeted by the young princess. The raven haired youth smiled as she greeted her guests, her long pink dress trailing behind her a bit as she walked.  
  
"Konbanwa Lina-san! Gourry-san!" she said, giving a small nod of the head to each of them. She smiled to Zelgaddis. "Arigatou for bringing them here, Zelgaddis-san!" The chimera gave his nod of thank you back and the princess' eyes continued till they fell upon the newest member of the group. She blinked curiously. "Eto... Who are you?"  
  
Airia forced a smile as she met Amelia's gaze. "Leaving," she said simply before starting to walk away. She yelped as Lina's arm locked itself around her neck, restricting her movement greatly. She gagged at the tight hold the young sorceress hand.  
  
"This is Airia Metian!" the red haired sorceress explained. "She's sold us a new sword for Gourry and we met her again on the road here!"  
  
Amelia gave a nervous smile, a small giggle to go with it. "Eh... It's nice to meet you, Airia-san," she started. "I am Amelia, Princess of Seryuun."  
  
Airia would have gladly replied with something respectable and kind, but found difficult to find the air to breath in Lina's death grip. She gave a noise that sounded more like a choked whimper and forced a smile onto her face.  
  
Amelia flagged one of the servants down to take the horse to the stables before smiling once again to Lina and company. "Then shall we go inside for a bite to eat?" she asked. The magic words were said and the red haired sorceress dropped Airia and headed happily after Amelia, the two men following close behind.  
  
Airia whined, seeing her horse being led away from her. It made her feel very stuck in her position. She stood, brushing the dirt off of her white clothing and started slowly after the group. What would a little dinner hurt?  
  
~*~  
  
Once at the dinner table, the consummation of the feast began. The sorceress and her swordsman companion barely gave themselves time to breath, concentrating more on inhaling their food then the air around them. Zelgaddis calmly sipped out of his cup, immune to the disgusting eating habits of his comrades. Amelia was much the same, eating the food before her slowly, but keeping a constant eye on the two hungry travelers.  
  
Airia had never seen such sights in her life. Her face contorted slightly as she watched the two, finally loosing her will to eat and pushing her plate away. The contents were quickly wiped off and consumed by the twin food vacuums.   
  
Finding a break in her gorging of the food, Lina took a moment to turn to Amelia. "So what exactly did you call us here for?" he asked, swallowing the piece of chicken she had been chewing on. Amelia smiled, setting down her fork, pleased that she would finally be able to get a word in.  
  
"The thing is, Lina-san, that I need your help concerning some matters," the princess began, smoothing her dress to try and relieve some of her jitters. She paused, her eyes turning to the purple haired one sipping at her drink.  
  
The red haired sorceress smiled, seeing Amelia's nervousness and said, "Don't worry about Airia! She's a sorceress too!" she explained. "She's no harm! She might even be able to help!"  
  
The corners of Zelgaddis' mouth twitched with his disagreement, but he said nothing and continued sipping at his tea. Airia gave a small groan, muttering to Lina under her breath, "Why are you dragging me into this?"  
  
The red haired sorceress ignored the question and motioned for the princess to continue. Amelia took a deep breath before speaking again. "A few weeks ago, contact with the temple in the northwest of the city broke and strange dark auras started flowing through it," Amelia explained, her face growing serious with her worry. "No one could go in and no one knew what happened to those on the inside.  
  
"About a week ago, the palace received a letter from whomever was in the temple. It was a threat saying that an assassin was in the city and that he would kill his target unless someone would come to the temple and beat him before then.  
  
"Father grew really worried, and then I ran into Zelgaddis-san and I sent him to get you because I knew that you would be able to handle it!"  
  
Lina looked at the princess skeptically. "I'm not the first one you came to, am I?" she asked flatly. Amelia gave a false smile.  
  
"O-of course you are, Lina-san!" she mustered. "You're the most powerful person I know!"  
  
"..."  
  
Amelia sunk in her seat. "Everyone else we sent disappeared," she muttered truthfully. Lina's mouth twitched slightly and she leaned back in her seat.  
  
"So you got me to come here and asked me to go on a suicide mission?" she asked, frowning with thought. Amelia shook her head.  
  
"Iie, Lina-san! I wouldn't send you on a mission if I knew you couldn't do it!" she urged. "I am going to go with you to help as well!"  
  
"But who is the target...?" Gourry asked offhandedly. Amelia faltered.  
  
"We don't know..." she muttered with a sheepish grin.  
  
"So you don't know who this guy is going to kill?!" the red haired sorceress asked, leaning forward with skeptical eyes. Amelia tried to muster some strength into her voice again.  
  
"It doesn't matter! Someone's life is in danger!" she pleaded. "Even if it's not someone of high rank or anything, this assassin must be faced and brought to justice!"  
  
Airia's hand flew to cover her mouth as she sneezed.  
  
"Bless you," Amelia muttered and Airia's eyes squeezed shut as she sneezed again.  
  
"Bless you." And again.  
  
"Bless you." And again.  
  
Lina gave an irritated sigh. "Bless you a million times!" she yelled to the purple haired sorceress. Airia groaned, clamping her nose shut between two fingers and standing from her chair.  
  
"Excuse me for a moment," she muttered, slipping out of the dinning room and into the hall. Once the doors closed, a parade of sneezes was heard through the door, disappearing down the hall. Lina's eye twitched slightly and Amelia gave a half-hearted laugh.  
  
After a moment to recover, Lina turned her gaze back to the Amelia. "I have one last question before I tell you my decision," she stated, a glint shinning in her eye. The princess gave a nod, waiting the question. Lina let a smirk slip into place. "How much are you planning to pay?"  
  
~*~  
  
Airia gave a disgusted sigh, still recovering from the attack of sneezes from earlier. She hadn't heard any of the rest of the conversation, aside from the fact that she was being dragged to the temple the next morning to take care of the assassin. She wasn't sure why this red-haired sorceress had agreed to it, though something hinted at the prospect of a reward.  
  
All Airia knew was that she *wasn't* going to be dragged into a temple to fight some assassin she knew nothing about. She was worried if she might know the assassin, or worse, the assassin would know her. She couldn't have her carefully laid plans jeopardized by some silly side quest.  
  
After the group had finished their conversing, some servants had led the group to their rooms for the night. Airia was very thankful that she had a room all to herself, somewhat distanced from the others. It seemed to make life a little easier for her.  
  
Her windows were left open, letting in the cool night air as she sorted through her things. She was planning on sneaking out in a few hours, while everyone was asleep. That would allow her to get a good distance from the group and get re-aligned with her assignment. After all, she was supposed to be following Zelgaddis, not traveling with him.  
  
Her bags had been brought up from the stables and she was making sure everything was still in them. Things seemed in order, and so she reached into her back, producing some black cloth, setting it aside.   
  
With the quick proficiency she had been trained to have, she changed out of the white traveling clothes she had and into the black ones that fit snuggly over her skinny body. She wrapped the black around her shoulders and pulled the hood over her head. She shoved the white clothing into the bag, tying it shut and tossing it next to the window for quick access when she would leave.   
  
A long sigh escaped her lips as she reattached her belt and sword to her hips, preparing for a wait till she thought it was safe.  
  
That wait never came as Airia felt a familiar presence near her. Her body tensed as she turned to the window, gazing at the apparent peaceful night. Slowly, she eased herself towards the window, eyes darting about for the figure she expected to see.  
  
She only caught a glimpse of him as he darted from view once he had come into her line of sight. With a curse, Airia ran to her pack, pulling the bow and quiver of arrows from it's holding place and running onto the balcony.   
  
She only took a moment to swing the quiver of arrows over her head and shoulders before climbing onto the railing and using it as a ladder to the roof. She paused, looking about nervously as she pulled an arrow from it's resting place and prepared it on her bow.  
  
The figure darted past her and Airia released the arrow after him, missing him by quite a distance. Cursing, she chased him on the expanse of the palace roofs, pulling forth another arrow and resting it in it's place.   
  
No matter how fast she ran or how dead on her shots were, the figure seemed to elude her. She could have sworn she saw a smirk on the face of the figure she pursued, but she couldn't be sure. She scowled, realizing the figure was leading her in the same circle about the area, toying with her. As if the figure realized her discovery, he stopped, turning to face her and allowing her to see the smirk on his face.  
  
"KUSO!" she screamed, releasing another arrow towards him. In a movement that seemed to fast for the eye, the figure caught the arrow within his hand, stopping it before it reached his heart. The smirk widened, as did Airia's eyes. "Impossible," she muttered, freezing in her place as she looked at him. One of the shingles beneath her feet slid, causing her to loose her balance.  
  
A scream of surprise escaped her lips as she tumbled down the roof, the bow falling from her grasp. She frantically tried to stop her roll to the edge, but found it impossible and sucked in a deep breath as her body slipped off the roof. Her eyes clamped themselves shut, preparing herself for the pain of impact, even the pain of death. A breath hitched in her throat and she opened her eyes again as she felt a hand grab her arm and redirect her fall.  
  
Instead of falling many stories to the garden below, she had been redirected to one of the balconies. Instead of hitting the ground many feet below, she hit the doors of the window only a few feet from her. Her life had been saved by the figure she had just been trying to kill.  
  
Airia couldn't really register much of these thoughts as the glass windows shattered with her impact and she rolled into the room. She stopped herself in a kneeling position and her hand immediately went to her sword. The figure was gone again, any trace of his presence disappearing and Airia a moment to think of her rescue.  
  
A moment was all she was allowed before she realized that she wasn't alone in the room. She swung her sword free and swung it towards the other. She stopped, her sword a mere inch from the other's neck and the previously sleeping figure stared up at her with wide, startled eyes.  
  
"Airia!" Zelgaddis chocked, partially exposing the awakening anger inside him. The purple haired sorceress froze again, realizing how terrible this must look to him. She contemplated her options, finding none of them close to what she wanted.  
  
She heard voices from down the hall and cursed under her breath. She jumped back from the chimera and ran to the balcony and vaulted from it to the roof again. Zelgaddis stood from the bed he lay in, his hand rubbing his neck idly, still feeling the cold, dark aura the black blade sword had been emitting. His eyes narrowed darkly and he barely noted as his door was swung open and his three companions entered.  
  
All three pairs of eyes saw the broken glass scattered across the floor, and it was Gourry who asked, "What happened?"  
  
"Airia," was the chimera's simple reply.  
  
"Airia-san?" Amelia asked, taking a few steps closer to the stone-skinned swordsman. "Why would Airia attack you?"  
  
"Because she's an assassin," Zelgaddis muttered. "And I think she's out to kill me."  
  
~*~  
  
The morning came, and still few questions had been answered. Airia had fled, her things abandoned. There wasn't much to find in her pack, nothing that would even hint at her occupation as an assassin, just some clothes and a few small weapons. They did find a diary, but it was new and hadn't even been written in, aside from her name on the front page.  
  
"Now why would Airia be out to kill you?" the short tempered sorceress asked, her short temper beginning to show itself. She paced the room impatiently, waiting for her questions to be answered.  
  
"Airia and I knew each other from a long time ago," he answered, slightly evading the question. "A few bad events happened and then her and her father disappeared. I moved to live with another part of the family after that, and I think she's come back to finish the job."  
  
"That doesn't answer my question!" Lina cried, her fingers going up to her head to grip it tightly in her frustration.  
  
"And Airia's father is an assassin too?" Amelia asked, no longer dressed in her fancy attire, but her old traveling clothes. She bit her thumb in thought. "Is it possible that they are connected with the assassin that's here in Seyruun?"  
  
"I wouldn't doubt it," Zelgaddis muttered darkly.   
  
Gourry, not holding much opinion in the matter with his lack of understanding it, sat up a bit, frowning curiously. "Wouldn't we find out if we just went to the temple and asked this other assassin?" he suggested. Lina nodded grimly.  
  
"I think that's just what we're going to have to do," she mused in reply.  
  
~*~  
  
Once before the temple, much of the initial confidence was lost. The dark aura that the group felt by just standing on the steps before the large building was enough to send thousands of shivers along the group's spines. Even Gourry in his stupor was reconsidering the opt to venture inside.  
  
Lina's eyebrow twitched slightly, freeing herself of one last shake before forcing confidence back into her mind. She took a deep breath. "Well, let's go then!" she announced. A few moments of silence passed before Zelgaddis muttered.  
  
"We'll aren't you going to start going, Lina?"  
  
Lina gave a nervous laugh and pulled the blonde haired swordsman and the chimera before her and pushed them ahead. "Gentlemen first!" she cried, shoving them ahead before taking a steady pace behind with Amelia.  
  
Once through the large doors and into the high-ceiling hallway, the pace slowed a bit. Gourry and Zelgaddis' hands rested near their swords and the two women let their energy flow high, preparing to cast a spell at the slightest sound or movement.  
  
The candles were all unlit, leaving little light to see. Lina took the chance to take the lead and cast a light spell, the light in her hands illuminating the surroundings as they ventured deeper through the elegant halls.  
  
Nothing was there to greet them, as it seemed, only silence and more dark hallways. The tension was easing slightly, but it was making Lina a bit anxious for something to happen. Once before the main prayer room doors, the red haired sorceress turned to Amelia with a frown. "Where's this assassin supposed to be?!" she yelled.  
  
Something that sounded light glass shattered and all eyes turned toward the wall to the left of the doors. Gourry stood with a nervous smile, looking down at the glass item he had just dropped to the floor. Lina gave an exasperated sigh and shook her head, moving to the doors and pushing them open.  
  
The person she saw was the last person she expected to see and, as a matter of fact, the last person she *wanted* to see. Her jaw dropped as the figure turned to them with his infamous smirk.  
  
"Minna-san! What a surprise!"  
  
"XELLOSS?!"  
  
Amelia blinked. "Xelloss-san?" she repeated, seeing that the purple haired mazoku stood before them, his staff in hand. "What are you doing here?"  
  
Gourry's expression mimicked Amelia's rather closely in curiosity. "Are you the assassin?" he asked. Amelia gave a humoring smile to the blonde swordsman, her finger tapping her chin lightly.  
  
"What are you doing here, mazoku?!" Zelgaddis snapped with slight exasperation, his hand dropping from it's grip on his sword.   
  
"A holy temple being overrun by an unholy aura was an interesting little venture," he mused, walking from the room to join them outside the room. "Do you think I could pass up investigating it?" The priest paused, his mouth twisting into a curious frown. "Though it seems that the aura is gone now."  
  
Lina blinked, pausing to realize that the purple haired mazoku was right. "Ne..." she mused, blinking more. "It is gone."  
  
Xelloss' face turned to the shattered glass pieces on the floor and moved over to them, frowning just as curiously. "It would appear that this is the reason for the dark aura," he mused, one of the peices floating up to land in his palm at his bidding.  
  
Lina tilted her head, blinking again. "You mean Gourry's accident prone nature came in handy for once?" she asked skeptically. Gourry blinked a moment, taking in the idea, before smiling, realizing he had done good. She moved over to the priest and inspected one of the pieces for herself. "Do you know what these are?"  
  
"Hai," the mazoku answered.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
The smirk flashed back into place. "Sore wa himitsu desu."  
  
Xelloss gave a small yelp of surprise as the sorceress decked him with her fist. He rubbed his head, giving a hurt expression. "Ne, that was uncalled for."  
  
The chimera had made his way over by now, and was inspecting the pieces. "It looks like something that I once saw in Rezo's books," he muttered, turning over a few of them between his fingers. "It looks like it was a gateway key."  
  
Lina eyed the mazoku. "Is that correct, Xelloss?"  
  
Xelloss forced a smile. "H-hai," he muttered.  
  
"Then why is it here?" the red haired sorceress demanded. Xelloss' smile appeared to be even more forced as the short sorceress attempted to intimidate him.  
  
"It appears that it was set up to make this door a gateway to another part of the world," he mused. "Beyond that, I don't know. I just barely arrived her myself."  
  
"Meaning that if we had walked through that door before Gourry had broken it, we would have been sent to another part of the world?" Amelia inquired, piecing the information together. She gave a small gasp. "That's why no one returned!"  
  
"So what about the assassin?!" Lina asked, enraged.  
  
"Obviously this was just a distraction for something else," Zelgaddis mused, standing once again. "Or a set up to attract someone's attention."  
  
Lina groaned, rubbing her temples a bit. "Greeeeaaaat..." she moaned. "This *is* one of those days..."  
  
Author's Note: that's all for now. I need to think of what is going to happen in the next chapter... amazing that I have so many ideas for this story, but even I don't know what's going to happen next... ^_^ please review! 


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